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Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection
Gibson Back to the Future Collection (L-R) Gibson Custom Back to the Future “1955” ES-345 Collector’s Edition and Epiphone Back to the Future ES-345.

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

GIBSON CELEBRATES 40th ANNIVERSARY OF ICONIC UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT FILM

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’

WITH EXCLUSIVE GUITAR COLLECTION

AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE ON GIBSON.COM

“LOST TO THE FUTURE” GLOBAL SEARCH NARROWS FOR MISSING GIBSON ES-345 CHERRY RED GUITAR PLAYED BY MICHAEL J. FOX FROM THE ORIGINAL FILM.

NASHVILLE, TN – In one of the most iconic scenes in film history, a Gibson ES-345™ Cherry Red guitar took center stage in the film Back to the Future – and today, it’s making history again. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the beloved Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment film starring Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, and in honor of October 21—officially recognized as Back to the Future Day—Gibson, the legendary global instrument brand, in partnership with Universal Products and Experiences proudly announces the Back to the Future Collection. Featuring limited-edition ES-345 models from Gibson Custom and Epiphone, as well as an exclusive apparel line, the Back to the Future Collection is designed to thrill both guitar enthusiasts and fans of the iconic film. Music and film fans can stop by the Gibson Garage Nashville and London locations to see the entire Back to the Future Collection in person, and worldwide via Gibson.com.

This summer, Gibson and Michael J. Fox launched a global “Lost to the Future” search for the original Gibson ES-345 Cherry Red guitar played by Fox in Back to the Futureduring the unforgettable “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance scene—a moment that inspired generations of musicians after Marty McFly’s electrifying performance of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.” Despite efforts to find the guitar during the filming of the sequel, the guitar’s whereabouts remained a mystery. Fans worldwide have been submitting tips at www.LostToTheFuture.com, and after thousands of submissions, Gibson has narrowed the search and is actively pursuing a handful of promising leads to locate and authenticate what may be the most significant guitar in movie history.

“Bringing this guitar to life has been a passion project for many years, and it’s incredibly exciting to finally see it become a reality,” says Mark Agnesi, Director of Brand Experience at Gibson. “We couldn’t be prouder of how these guitars turned out—they’re truly special. This is the guitar that inspired me, and countless others from my generation, to pick up playing in the first place.”

The Back to the Future 1955 ES-345 Collector’s Edition from Gibson Custom is limited to just 88 guitars worldwide, a nod to The Time Machine from the film, and features a stunning Cherry Red finish with exclusive design details. The Epiphone Back to the Future ES-345, limited to 1,985 guitars globally, celebrates the year the blockbuster film hit theaters and offers fans an accessible way to own a piece of cinematic and musical history. In addition to the guitars, there’s also an exclusive range of Back to the Future apparel and accessories, including tees, hats, collectible guitar pick tins, a guitar strap, and an AXE HEAVEN® mini guitar that will delight collectors and fans alike.

Back to the Future “1955” ES-345 Collector’s Edition:

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

Although the movie’s high school dance takes place in 1955, the guitar used was a Gibson ES-345, a model originally introduced in 1959. Supplied by Norman Harris of Norman’s Rare Guitars, the Cherry Red ES-345 visual appeal and sonic presence made it a perfect fit for the film’s “Enchantment Under the Sea” scene.

The Back to the Future 1955 ES-345 Collector’s Edition—a masterfully crafted homage to the guitar that bridged generations. Built with a thinline, three-ply ES™ body of maple-poplar-maple and a solid maple centerblock for enhanced sustain and reduced feedback, this instrument is as sonically rich as it is visually striking. The mahogany neck, joined with hide glue and featuring a long tenon, sports a 1961 Authentic Thin D-Shape profile and a bound rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets. True to the original guitar’s rare design, it includes a single parallelogram inlay at the 12th fret—a detail unique to the original guitar that was used in the Back to the Future film.

Equipped with a pair of unpotted Gibson Custombucker pickups featuring alnico 3 magnets, the guitar offers a wide tonal palette. Each pickup is hand-wired to individual volume and tone controls using CTS® potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors. A mono Varitone switch adds further tonal flexibility, while aged gold hardware and a Bigsby® B7 vibrato tailpiece complete the upscale ES-345 aesthetic. The Murphy Lab’s expert aging process gives the guitar a beautifully worn-in look, honoring both the legacy of Gibson’s craftsmanship and the cinematic moment that made this model iconic.

Limited to only 88 pieces—a nod to the film’s time-traveling speed—the Collector’s Edition is handcrafted by the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. Every detail, from the reverse-engineered 1950s specs to the and-stained Cherry Red finish, has been meticulously recreated. Each guitar comes housed in a Lifton hardshell case adorned with Marvin Berry and The Starlighters graphics, along with a curated selection of case candy, making this a truly timeless collector’s piece.

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

Back to the Future Collection (L-R) Epiphone and Gibson Custom.

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

Back to the Future Gibson Custom Collection guitar case candy includes a flux capacitor, key to the Time Machine, a Casio watch, production still from the film, a guitar strap, picks, posters and a Certificate of Authenticity.

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

The new Epiphone Back to the Future ES-345 is a replica of the legendary Gibson ES-345 based on the model that Michael J. Fox aka Marty McFly plays in the film Back to the Future. A loving tribute to this cultural icon, the Epiphone Back to the Future ES-345 features a five-ply layered maple semi-hollowbody with a solid maple centerblock for enhanced sustain and improved feedback resistance. The top has four-ply binding with single-ply binding on the back. The mahogany neck has a comfortable Rounded C profile and is topped with a single-ply bound rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and is adorned with pearloid split parallelogram inlays that are a hallmark of the ES-345. The 60s Kalamazoo headstock is equipped with a Graph Tech® nut and Epiphone Deluxe tuning machines with cream Keyston buttons. The Epiphone logo and Gibson Crown are inlaid in mother of pearl. On the back of the headstock, in a nod to the 1985 film, you’ll find a Hill Valley Music store decal. The Back to the Future ES-345 has gold hardware, including an Epiphone LockTone™ Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and a Bigsby® B70 vibrato tailpiece, and just like the guitar in the movie, the original Stop Bar studs are left in place. The Back to the Future ES-345 is powered by two of Epiphone’sacclaimed Alnico Classic PRO™ pickups, each with individual volume and tone controls. A mono Varitone provides even more tonal versatility. It even comes packed in a vintage-style hardshell case with Marvin Berry and the Starlighters graphics. The Epiphone Back to the Future ES-345 is limited to only 1985 units worldwide, and they’re sure to go fast, so unless you have a flux capacitor-equipped Time Machine so that you can go back in time to get one later, you’d better grab yours now while you still can.

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

Epiphone Delorean - Epiphone Back to the Future ES-345

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

Launching alongside the Epiphone and Custom Shop ES-345 guitars, Gibson’sapparel division will release a collection of exclusive, film-inspired merchandise. Ranging from AXE Heaven mini ES-345 Cherry Red guitars to guitar pick tins, straps, T-shirts, and hats inspired by the film, the Back to the Future collection promises to be an exciting addition to any fans collection.

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

Back to the Future Collection (L-R) guitar strap and AXE Heaven mini Gibson ES-345 guitar.

Gibson Honors 40 Years of Back to the Future with Exclusive Guitar Collection

Back to the Future Collection (L-R) guitar strap and AXE Heaven mini Gibson ES-345 guitar.

WHO

About Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Back to the Future: Released 40 years ago on July 3, 1985, Back to the Future introduced audiences to Marty McFly (Emmy and Golden Globe winner Michael J. Fox), a small-town California teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a plutonium-powered DeLorean invented by his eccentric friend, Doc Brown (Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd). Stranded in the past, Marty must ensure his teenage parents (Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover) fall in love or risk erasing his own existence. With time running out, he teams up with a younger Doc in a last-ditch effort to harness a bolt of lightning and return to 1985.

The film became the highest-grossing domestic release of 1985 and one of the most enduring movies of the decade, earning more than $385 million worldwide. It received four Academy Award® nominations, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Original Song for Huey Lewis and the News’ “The Power of Love.” The film won Best Sound Effects Editing.

Back to the Future was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Oscar® nominee Bob Gale. The film was produced by Gale and BAFTA nominee Neil Canton and executive produced by three-time Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg. It features cinematography by Oscar® nominee Dean Cundey, editing by Oscar® winner Arthur Schmidt and BAFTA nominee Harry Keramidas, production design by Oscar® nominee Lawrence G. Paull, and an original score by Academy Award® nominee Alan Silvestri.

About Universal Products & Experiences: 

Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E) globally drives the expansion and elevation of NBCUniversal’s iconic collection of brands, intellectual properties, characters, and stories based on the company’s extensive portfolio of properties created by Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. The division executes this through innovative physical and digital products, as well as engaging retail and product experiences across our expansive global theme park destinations (for both owned and third-party IP), location-based venues, e-commerce product platforms, and retailers around the world. Along with global brand strategy and creative, UP&E’s lines of business include Consumer Products and Games, along with Theme Parks Products & Retail. UP&E is a division of Universal Destinations & Experiences, part of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. More information is available at universalproductsexperiences.com.

About Universal Pictures:

Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

 

About Gibson:

Gibson, the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for 130 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone,which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie, the home of tone, KRK, behind great music for over 30 years, and Maestro, the founder of effect pedals. Gibson is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by all Gibson brands. Explore more at Gibson.com, Gibson App, and on Gibson TV, follow us on Instagram, Twitter andFacebook, and visit us at the Gibson Garage Nashville and the Gibson Garage London.

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